January 10, 2015 – NATIONAL BITTERSWEET CHOCOLATE DAY – NATIONAL SUNDAY SUPPER DAY – NATIONAL CUT YOUR ENERGY COSTS DAY – SAVE THE EAGLES DAY

                       NATIONAL BITTERSWEET CHOCOLATE DAY

Chocolate lovers around the country, it is time once again to celebrate as January 10 is annually recognized as National Bittersweet Chocolate Day. (National Bittersweet Chocolate with Almonds Day is celebrated on November 7.)

 Chocolate comes from the seed of the tropical Theobroma cacao tree.  Cacao, which has been cultivated for at least three millennia, is grown in Mexico, Central America and Northern South America.  The earliest known documentation of use, of cacao seeds, is around 1100 BC.  The cacao tree seed have a very intense bitter taste that must be fermented to develop the flavor.

Once the seeds have been fermented, the beans are then dried, cleaned and roasted.  After roasting, the shell is removed to produce cacao nibs.  The cacao nibs are then ground into cocoa mass which is pure chocolate in rough form.   The cocoa mass is usually liquefied then molded with or without other ingredients, it is called chocolate liquor.  The chocolate liquor may then be processed into two components: cocoa solids and cocoa butter.

Bittersweet chocolate is chocolate liquor to which sugar, cocoa butter and vanilla have been added.  It does have less sugar and more liquor than semisweet chocolate however, the two of them may be interchangeable when baking.
Studies have revealed that there are certain health benefits from eating bittersweet chocolate in moderation, such as lowering blood pressure and helping to protect the  heart.
OBSERVE
Try one of the following “tried and true” recipes:
Bittersweet Brownie CookiesBittersweet Chocolate Waffles with Chocolate Chip Ice CreamBittersweet Chocolate and Stout Beer Ice CreamBittersweet Chocolate and Cashew Cookie Brittle
Use #BittersweetChocolateDay to post on social media.
HISTORY

Within our research, we were unable to find the creator of National Bittersweet Chocolate Day, an “unofficial” national holiday.

National Sunday Supper Day – Second Sunday in January

NATIONAL SUNDAY SUPPER DAY

National Sunday Supper Day is observed annually on the second Sunday in January.

Sunday Supper starts off as one day a week and soon becomes a way of life.  – Sunday Supper Movement

These days families are busy with after school activities, jobs and homework.  Sunday supper has been a disappearing tradition around the country and the Sunday Supper Movement aims to bring families back together in the kitchen and around the supper table one Sunday at time.   National Sunday Supper Day is another step toward this goal.
OBSERVE
Spend the day with family preparing and sharing Sunday Supper. For more information visit wwww.sundaysuppermovement.com.  Use #SundaySupper on social media.
HISTORY

Isabel Laessig is the founder of the Sunday Supper Movement and the Food and Wine Conference. A mother of four, she was inspired to start her blog, Family Foodie, when her oldest left for college and the things she would miss most about home would be the times spent in the kitchen and around the table with family.
In 2012 Laessig and eight other bloggers and their families celebrated the first virtual Sunday Supper with a progressive dinner.  According to Laessig, she and these eight bloggers are “passionate about bringing families together to cook and eat together.”

 

National Cut Your Energy Costs Day – January 10

NATIONAL CUT YOUR ENERGY COSTS DAY

Scheduling an appointment to get your heating system tuned up, would be one of the many ways to participate on January 10 for National Cut Your Energy Costs Day.  Did you know that tuning up your heating system can save you up to three to ten percent.
National Cut Your Energy Costs Day encourages people to look for ways to reduce energy costs, and save on their energy bills.
For more information on this day, please visit the National Day Calendar page for National Cut Your Energy Costs Day.
 

National Save the Eagles Day – January 10

SAVE THE EAGLES DAY

Save the Eagles Day is observed annually  on the 10th of January. Some species of eagles are on the endangered list. However, due to the work of scientists and the public, the Bald Eagle was removed from this list in June 2007.
There are more then 70 species of eagles throughout the world.  The only exception is Hawaii, where no species of eagles reside. Poaching, pesticides and other dangers continue threaten eagle populations.
OBSERVE
Use #SaveTheEaglesDay to post on social media.
HISTORY
Within our research, we were unable to identify the creator of Save the Eagles Day.